Spoilers The Legend of Ruby Sunday grade and discussion thread
- Thread starter The Nth Doctor
- Start date
So the Doctor's known all along that Susan's really his granddaughter, but not who his child/Susan's parent was... or, rather, will be...
This was something I meant to bring up in my review but then forgot. The casualness of The Doctor mentioning that feels like it's something that won't be followed up on, rather something it will be left as part of the ongoing mystery. I was also reminded of the Other, which is funny since I've never actually read Lungbarrow, only about what happens in it and how much it continues to rile up fandom. Maybe one of these days I'll finally sit down and read it.
Either way, considering how the show, since the very beginning, has actively refused to provide anything more than the smallest of hints about The Doctor's children and/or Susan's parents, I'm fine with leaving it a mystery. But I'm also fine with doing something fundamentally different...if only so people can have something to complain about even more than the Timeless Child.
Considering that analogy, I was rather surprised neither The Doctor nor any of the UNIT advisors ever once mentioned the Chameleon Arch, especially after Mel ran the DNA test of Triad. Which makes me think perhaps that's a red herring, too.
On the other hand, we've been here before: The gap between Davies series finale parts where everyone wildly speculates how everything and the kitchen sink will show up and then we're all disappointed when all we get is the Jesus Doctor or the Metacrisis Doctor. I particularly remember how convinced I was we were going to get the triumphant return of the Brigadier in "The Last of the Time Lords" based off some line or another in "The Sound of Drums."
My point is we're already setting up lofty expectations for this finale which will undoubtedly disappoint in some fashion or another.
So I'll keep mine more basic: The whole thing about Mrs. Flood hasn't been dealt with and we got a very ominous hint about her before cutting away to the rest of the episode. I honestly kept expecting the hood of Susan's birth mother to reveal her face, although now I'm less certain of that considering the point keeps being avoided and we're suppose to be truly shocked about the reveal (and here I go with my own lofty expectations...).
There's another point to keep in mind: Davies has already said that Ruby's mysterious past will continue to be explored in the next series so I don't expect we'll get all of our answers in the finale.
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Friend of mine was "ick!" over a ten year age gap but Bonnie Langford is apparently 10 years my senior (my Mum guessed 15-20) and - to quote Victoria Coren-Mitchell - I still would.
"Ten remembered having kids" != "Ten remembered those specific kids being Susan's parents". Yes, we all assumed so. But Time Lords.
I read the Sutekh spoiler by mistake this morning. But the S. Triad = TARDIS thing still successfully threw me off until she said "call me Sue".
My mum has no idea who Sutekh is (or didn't until I walked her through the "remember the one with the mummies and Sarah-Jane" stuff) but thought this ep was the best in a while.
"Ten remembered having kids" != "Ten remembered those specific kids being Susan's parents". Yes, we all assumed so. But Time Lords.
I read the Sutekh spoiler by mistake this morning. But the S. Triad = TARDIS thing still successfully threw me off until she said "call me Sue".
My mum has no idea who Sutekh is (or didn't until I walked her through the "remember the one with the mummies and Sarah-Jane" stuff) but thought this ep was the best in a while.
Rubys mum was annoying. Funny. But made no story or dramatic sense. Mind you, nor does Rose being a UNIT staffer. (Or a thirteen year old SA)
Y’know the biggest thing that bugged me, and it’s going to be a problem until it’s addressed, but is particularly bad here — where is fourteen and his Tardis? Does that have the Sutekh parasite? Rose is right there, no one think to check?
Cities doing its Ghostbusters tribute thing, and what, he’s just chilling out of sight with Wilf?
Cities doing its Ghostbusters tribute thing, and what, he’s just chilling out of sight with Wilf?
I actually rewatched the clip from The Doctor's Daughter just to make sure, and while talking to Donna about Jenny the 10th Doctor 100% confirms to Donna that he'd been a father before, and the way he talks its not just a hypothetical thing, parenthood is something he's experienced. Considering the fact that this was even a RTD era episode, its a bit odd that he's trying to mess with Susan's parentage. Its like he really wants The Doctor to act young and be naive about certain things like romantic/familial relationships, while simultaneously being possibly (because of the TC nonsense) one of the oldest living beings around.
I just don’t get the sense of age that the Doctor even had when he was Jodie or Matt.
It’s… a bit CBBC frankly, overall.
And in the original there’s also moments like the Doctor talking to Victoria about his family in Tomb of the Cybermen, or the hints in Curse of Fenric.
It’s perfectly possible to add things in a clever way, without having to overwrite what came before, the shows managed it through four doctors worth of stories since 2005 before someone was daft.
Fourteen is exactly where he was at the end of The Giggle: living with the Nobles. He even got referenced in this episode when Fifteen asked Rose how her Uncle was doing.
Stranded in Peru.
Isn't he some sort of genius?
I'm glad I hadn't heard those rumors. I about had an aneurism! My hubby hasn't seen Pyramids of Mars and had no idea who Sutekh is, so that may be worth watching this week. I really dug the scary parasite effect too.
I thought that was interesting. It's perfectly fine to leave it that way IMO.
That was creepy! I'm really looking forward to finding out what's up with her.
Really liked Morris too.
Another great episode.
I've actually seen Pyramids of Mars, so I am aware of Sutekh, and that reveal was a huge shock for me, I did not expect that at all.
I'm really loving all of the quirky U.N.I.T staff members they're introducing. U.N.I.T. seems to really like recruiting ex-companions and other people who are close to The Doctor.
Definitely curious how exactly Mrs. Flood ties into all of this.
I'm going to have to rewatch Pyramids of Mars on BritBox because I watched it once ages ago on DVD and don't remember it very well.
I've actually seen Pyramids of Mars, so I am aware of Sutekh, and that reveal was a huge shock for me, I did not expect that at all.
I'm really loving all of the quirky U.N.I.T staff members they're introducing. U.N.I.T. seems to really like recruiting ex-companions and other people who are close to The Doctor.
Definitely curious how exactly Mrs. Flood ties into all of this.
I'm going to have to rewatch Pyramids of Mars on BritBox because I watched it once ages ago on DVD and don't remember it very well.
What if Ruby is Susan's mother, and Ruby's mother is a future regeneration of The Doctor? Or maybe Ruby is an unseen regeneration of River.
Ruby Sunday=R.S.=River Song.
The woman in the hood is actually the Alex Kingston version.
Ruby Sunday=R.S.=River Song.
The woman in the hood is actually the Alex Kingston version.
I could swear that's Fourteen in the first bit of next week's finale trailer.
EDIT: Whoops. Never mind, it isn't.
EDIT: Whoops. Never mind, it isn't.
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Mutant.
They said a passing asteroid gave him super intelligence.
...
The 8th Doctor was canonized in Night of the Doctor when he listed a retinue of companions he's had in audio and novels and comics, so that should have given the nod to 8, Susan and her offspring knocking about with the Monk?
Maybe he just forgot?
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It doesn't, though. But then I wouldn't be surprised if someone in 1982 complained that the Fifth Doctor spent too much time on the Eternals and the Mara etc and not enough time revisiting the Zarbi and the Voord because the show's latest producers just didn't care about the history of Doctor Who, and they proved they hate the show with the way they completely contradicted how regeneration works with this weird Watcher business.
I was surprised to realize a few years ago that she's the only one of the 1963-1989 companions who's younger than me. Sophie Aldred is nearly two years older than Langford.
It's Harriet Arbinger.
I'm still baffled by the photos of the Doctor as a drill instructor, though.
And a Space Monk.
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The Time Window was a practical effect shot in-camera.